Back-to-School Home Safety Tips

It’s hard to believe that summer’s over and the kids are heading back to school. Hopefully, all school supplies have been purchased and summer reading is done. But have you thought through your security plan for your kids? This is especially important if your children are walking home or heading to a house where they need to let themselves in or take care of themselves for a bit. 

Playing it safe isn’t just a school year thing, but many parents find themselves in different situations with the start of school each year. So this is as good as any time to review home safety tips. This may be the first year that a child needs to use a key to let themselves in, or this may be the year that your kids go to separate schools. Or maybe this is the year that your work schedule has changed and you won’t be home when your children get home. 

Whatever the case may be, there are some steps you can take to ensure that your children will be safe. Here are a few ideas to consider for this school year. 

Consider Smart Tech 

Depending on the age of your child(ren), you will want to be able to have some access to door locks, thermostats, and security systems remotely. Consider trying some of our smart home technology that will allow your children a keyless entry as well as a way for mom or dad to lock the doors in case they forgot to from wherever they are. In addition, programmable thermostats and surveillance cameras can help you ensure that your children are not only safe but also comfortable. Many systems are remotely accessed so you can check on the doors, locks, and alarm system from your smartphone. 

If your children have access to a keypad or keyless entry for your home, be sure to stress to them that, while it is convenient to not have to carry around a key, they should never give out the password to anyone, even their best friend(s). As a family, agree on which relatives or neighbors will be given the password or numeric code. 

Plan for Emergencies 

No one ever wants to consider the worst happening, especially if your children happen to be home alone. Plan for the worst by talking through “what if” scenarios such as what if: a stranger comes to the door, there is a fire or smoke, there is a gas smell, the power goes out, or there is a medical emergency? Talk to your kids about who they can contact if something like any of those occur. What neighbor can they go to? Talk to them about dialing 911, including when it should and shouldn’t be used. If your child has a phone, program in important numbers including several ways to get in touch with you at work or while you are on the go. 

Track Internet and Gaming Usage 

Parents should be aware of what sites are being accessed and who is being chatted with online and through gaming devices. Talk to your children about not ever meeting someone they have talked to online. Remind them of your family rules about how much online time and what sites are acceptable. Parents, you may want to put some safeguards on your computers and gaming consoles to be sure that stranger contacts are not being made. 

Do you need help securing your home and property this school year? Instant Alarm can help. If you are interested in hearing more about our video surveillance systems or any of our alarm systems, call 800-499-9070 or visit our website at https://instantalarm.com.